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Circassians

Shina Shabso and her husband Itzik prepare cheese pastries for a wedding in the Circassian village of Rehaniya in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, on April 30, 2026. (Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP)
May 6, 2026, 4:46 am
For tiny Circassian community, food and language sustain ancient heritage amid conflict
Living in two northern villages, Israel’s estimated 5,000 Circassians – Sunni Muslims who serve in the IDF – hope to preserve their community while contending with Hezbollah attacks
By HAZEL WARD
Laris Achlaug (left) and Lama Awwad, PhD students, work in a lab at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. (Courtesy/Nitzan Zohar)
December 26, 2025, 7:27 pm
In surprising breakthrough, scientists in Israel find cancer may help heal the failing heart
Study by researchers at the Technion finds that injecting cancerous serum in mice decreased cardiac fibrosis — paving the way for innovative therapies
By Diana Bletter
Circassians commemorate the Circassian Mourning Day in Kfar Kama on May 21, 2024. (Courtesy/Adam Choshha)
May 21, 2025, 10:51 am
Mourning their genocide, Israeli Circassians hold fast to multilayered identity
Over 160 years after their people were expelled from the Caucasus, residents of Kfar Kama maintain their language and culture while embracing life as Israelis and Muslims
By Diana Bletter
Malak Khizran, right, with her mother, Malika, at their home in the Druze village of Yarka, Western Galilee, adjacent to Julis, on March 4, 2025. (Diana Bletter/Times of Israel)
March 11, 2025, 12:46 pm
Oft-overlooked Druze see new NIS 3.9 billion plan as step to address old grievances
After a Haifa stabbing attack mislabeled as terrorism sent fear through the close-knit Druze community last week, Sunday’s government package sparks hope as ‘end to painful issues’
By Diana Bletter
Druze men seen during a funeral in Majdal Shams, February 14, 2025. (Michael Giladi/ Flash90)
March 10, 2025, 1:38 am
Cabinet okays NIS 4 billion plan to boost country’s Druze, Circassians over 5 years
Community leaders welcome investment, but call it only a ‘first step,’ and express hope it won’t ‘remain on paper’ like previous promises
By Nava Freiberg and ToI Staff
Druze protest outside the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, demanding equal rights, June 30, 2024 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
June 30, 2024, 2:53 pm
‘Not only equal in battle’: Druze, Circassians launch protests against discrimination
Minority communities announce week of action culminating in Jerusalem rally; leaders demand more resources and a five-year plan, as well as repeal of contentious planning law
By ToI Staff
Shas MK Moshe Arbel speaks at the Knesset, on May 27, 2019. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)
May 21, 2024, 2:51 pm
Interior minister pushes PM on five-year plan to aid Druze, Circassians – report
Northern minority communities need more resources, MK Moshe Arbel said to tell Netanyahu, especially in light of the war
By ToI Staff
A man rides his bicycle past a mosque in the Circassian village of Kfar Kama in the northern Galilee region, on December 21, 2022. (Jalaa Marey/AFP)
March 13, 2023, 10:08 am
Israel expresses frustration as delegation is barred from UN event in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh failed to issue visas to residents of Kfar Kama, a Circassian Muslim town picked as global ‘tourist village’; Tourism Ministry accuses UN of failing to meet own standards
By ToI Staff and Lazar Berman
The entrance to the Circassian village of Kfar Kama with an inscription in Hebrew and Circassian saying 'welcome' December 2020. (svarshik via iStock by Getty Images)
December 20, 2022, 11:25 pm
Circassian town in northern Israel wins UN recognition as global ‘tourist village’
Kfar Kama, in lower Galilee, is one of only two Circassian communities in Israel; award ceremony set for February in Saudi Arabia
By Danielle Nagler
Shas party leader Aryeh Deri arrives at the Knesset for a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, March 3, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
June 4, 2020, 8:45 pm
Interior Ministry announces new funding for poor municipalities
78% will go to Arab communities, ministry says; Druze municipality leader says it’s ‘too little, too late’
By Aaron Boxerman
Members of the Druze community protest for the government financial support they were promised by the government, outside the weekly government office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, May 31, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
June 1, 2020, 10:55 am
Druze and Circassian protesters push for funding, decry ‘discrimination’
Netanyahu instructs Finance Ministry to draft new five-year plan for the two minority communities, whose young men serve in the IDF
By Aaron Boxerman
Former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz seen with members of the Druze community and activists outside his home in Rosh Ha'ayin, during a protest against the nation-state law, January 14, 2019. (Flash90)
January 15, 2019, 2:46 pm
Is Gantz a leftist? We still don’t know. His empathy for the Druze is mainstream
Likud has slammed ex-IDF chief and would-be PM for vowing to ‘fix’ Nation-State Law, but even Bennett acknowledged its problems, and Netanyahu set up a committee to deal with them
By Raphael Ahren
Former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz seen with members of the Druze community and activists outside his home in Rosh Ha'ayin, during a protest against the nation-state law, January 14, 2019. (Flash90)
January 14, 2019, 1:20 pm
Breaking silence, Gantz says he will ‘fix’ nation-state law to help Druze
Drawing fire from right and left, former army chief and would-be PM tells Druze activists controversial legislation weakens close bonds with their community, which serves in IDF
By Raoul Wootliff
Activists and members of the Druze community protest against the nation-state law, outside the Knesset, on October 15, 2018. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 21, 2018, 9:18 pm
Ministers delay debate on equal rights bill aimed at reassuring Druze
Opposition Druze MK’s proposal seeks to make amends for controversial Jewish nation-state law; he warns community’s voters won’t remain loyal if government doesn’t keep promises
By Stuart Winer and Raoul Wootliff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a meeting to address Druze concerns in the wake of the nation-state law, on August 6, 2018. (Amos Ben-Gershom, GPO)
August 13, 2018, 11:44 pm
Netanyahu meets with committee on compensating minorities for nation-state law
At ministerial panel, Netanyahu wants to focus on improving housing, employment for Druze, Circassian communities
By ToI Staff
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